SFT S-290: INTERMEDIATE WILDLAND FIRE BEHAVIOR

January 12-16, 2026
0800-1700
McClellan Park, CA

CLASS DESCRIPTION

This is a classroom-based skills course designed to prepare the prospective fireline supervisor / single resource boss / company officer to undertake safe and effective fire management operations. Fire environment differences are discussed.  

INSTRUCTORS
Charlie Blakenheim

PREREQUISITES
S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior

Chief Fire Officer 3B - Budget and Fiscal Responsibilities
This course will be held at the Contra Costa Fire Department Training Division; 2945 Treat Blvd, Concord, CA 94518.

December 8 – 9, 2025; 0830 – 1630

This course provides students with a basic knowledge of the budgeting requirements related to the roles and responsibilities of a Chief Fire Officer including developing a budget management system, developing a division or departmental budget, and describing the process for ensuring competitive bidding.

SFT: Instructor II
Instructed by Markus Reagan (1000-2114)

December 1-5, 2025
McClellan Park, CA

Course Description 

The Instructor 2 Certification utilizes NFPA 1041 Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications (2012) to provide the qualifications for State Fire Training’s Instructor 2 certification. These qualifications are documented in the Instructor 2 Certification Training Standards (CTS). State Fire Training coordinated the development of the CTS guide, certification, and associated curriculum. The Statewide Training and Education Advisory Committee (STEAC) and the State Board of Fire Services (SBFS) recommended these standards and qualifications for adoption by the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM).

SFT: Fire Fighter Rescue and Rapid Intervention Crew Operations
Instructed by Bryan Grebel (1002-3768), Josh Burris (6460-5545), Ryan Hatfield (2669-8162), and Jeff Switkowski (1001-1214)

November 17-20, 2025
McClellan Park, CA

This hands-on course provides the knowledge and skills needed to perform fire fighter rescue to reduce fire fighter injuries and deaths. Topics include the fire fighter rescue mindset; size up, tool assembly, and softening the structure; search, assessment, air delivery, and rescue; and Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) roles, responsibilities, strategies, and operations.

Prerequisites: Fire Fighter 1A: Suppression (SFT) or Fire Fighter 1 certification Fire Fighter Survival (SFT)
• The Fire Ground Survival Awareness (IAFF online course) component of this course must be completed within three years prior to the Fire Fighter Rescue and RIC Operations course start date.

Chief Fire Officer 3A: Human Resource Management
Contra Costa Fire Training, 2945 Treat Blvd., Concord, 94518

This course provides students with a basic knowledge of the human resources requirements related to the roles and responsibilities of a Chief Fire Officer including developing plans for providing employee accommodation, developing hiring procedures, establishing personnel assignments, describing methods of facilitating and encouraging professional development, developing an ongoing education training program, developing promotional procedures, developing proposals for improving employee benefits, and developing a measurable accident and injury prevention program.

Designed For: The certified Company Officer advancing to the Chief Fire Officer classification

SFT: Instructor 1
Instructed by Markus Reagan (1000-2114)

November 10-14, 2025
McClellan Park, CA

Course Description

This course provides the skills and knowledge needed for the entry level professional instructor to perform his or her duties safely, effectively, and competently. The curriculum is based on the 2012 edition of NFPA 1041 Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications. At the end of this course, candidates for Instructor I certification will be able to teach and deliver instruction from a prepared lesson plan utilizing instructional aids and evaluation instruments. The Instructor I will also be able to adapt a lesson plan and complete the reporting requirements to the local jurisdiction.

Chief Fire Officer 3C – General Administration Functions
November 4 – 6, 2025; 0830-1700
Berkeley Fire Department EMS Division, 1007 University Ave, Berkeley CA 94710
This course provides students with a basic knowledge of the administration requirements related to the roles and responsibilities of a Chief Fire Officer including directing a department record management system, analyzing and interpreting records and data, developing a model plan for continuous organizational improvement, developing a plan to facilitate approval, preparing community awareness programs, and evaluating the inspection program of the AHJ.

Prerequisites: Meet the educational requirements for Company Officer or five (5) years as a career officer (Lieutenant or higher), or seven (7) years as a volunteer officer (Lieutenant or higher) or five (5) years CAL FIRE Fire Apparatus Engineer

Required Text: Chief Officer: Principles and Practice (International Association of Fire Chiefs 3rd or 4th Edition, Jones & Bartlett Learning)  

This course provides federal, state, and local-level emergency responders with an overview of key duties and responsibilities of a Resources Unit Leader and a Demobilization Unit Leader in a Type 3 All Hazards Incident Management Team (AHIMT). Exercises/simulations, discussions, and a final exam enable participants to process and apply their new knowledge.
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Course Objectives
• Explain the organization and functions of the Planning Section.
• Explain the purpose of the Resources Unit and the Demobilization Unit.
• Create an ICS Form 211 Incident Check-in List.
• Create an ICS Form 219 Resource Status Card.
• Create the Resources Unit Leader's portion of the ICS Form 215 Operational Planning Worksheet.
• Create the required forms, documents, and components to support the incident.
• Create the required forms and documents to facilitate resource demobilization. Understand 
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Prerequisites (All Required): 
· IS-0100: An Introduction to the Incident Command System
· IS-0200: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
· E/L/G 0300: Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents
· IS-0700: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
· IS-0800: National Response Framework (NRF), An Introduction

Chief Fire Officer 3D – Command of Expanding All Hazard Incidents
October 20 – 23, 2025; 0830-1700
Berkeley Fire Department Training Division, 997 Cedar St., Berkeley, CA 94710

This course provides students with a basic knowledge of the emergency service requirements related to the roles and responsibilities of a Chief Fire Officer including developing a plan for the integration of fire services resources, developing an agency resource contingency plan, evaluating incident facilities, supervising multiple resources, developing and utilizing an incident action plan, obtaining incident information to facilitate transfer of command, developing and conducting a post-incident analysis, and maintaining incident records.

Prerequisites: Meet the educational requirements for Company Officer or five (5) years as a career officer (Lieutenant or higher), or seven (7) years as a volunteer officer (Lieutenant or higher) or five (5) years CAL FIRE Fire Apparatus Engineer

Required Text: Chief Officer: Principles and Practice (International Association of Fire Chiefs 3rd or 4th Edition, Jones & Bartlett Learning)  

SFT Trench Rescue Technician 
with Erik Komula

September 26-28, 2025
Woodland, CA

This course provides the skills and knowledge needed for the trench rescue technician to work safely and efficiently in a trench rescue environment. This hands-on training program includes trench and excavation regulations, soil characteristics, trench configurations and hazards, rescue team preparation, incident response, initial on-scene and pre-entry operations, shoring systems and components, shoring system installation, victim rescue and recovery, and incident termination. This course incorporates awareness, operations, and technician training based on NFPA 1006 (2021).

To register for this course, contact Paul Cole at: paulcolec10@gmail.com.

Open Water Rescue-Basic
Fireground Solutions, LLC.

Sept. 23-25, 2025
Copperopolis, CA

The SFM Open Water Rescue-Basic course is designed to teach the basic skills and abilities to rescue conscious and unconscious victims using a variety of rescue devices. The course will cover both shore based and in-water operations. This is a small course (8:1 student/instructor ratio) to ensure safety of students and provide adequate repetition of required skills. First come, first served.

Note: This is a physically demanding course! It is not uncommon to be swimming several miles a day. A watermanship test will be conducted on the first day of class. Unsuccessful students may choose to continue in the course but will not receive SFM certification. The test is to ensure students are competent swimmers and comfortable in the water prior to attempting a contact rescue. Details of the test are noted below. 

Watermanship Test

• Completion of 500 Yard Swim (Unassisted swim utilizing any forward stroke)

• Completion of 800 Yard Fin Swim

• Completion of 10 Minute Water Tread

Register below, or email firegroundsolutions@outlook.com.